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'I. A. OANPIELD. PROCESS OF MANUFAOTURINGDRESS SHIELDS Patented May 12, 1885 V 5a (LC V N. Pucns. "wow-Lithograph". Walhingiom o.c,

UNITED STATES ATFNT Fries.

ISAAC A. CANFIELD, OF MIDDLETOW'N, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGXOR TO THE CANFIELD RUBBER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PROCESS OF MANUFAQTURiNG DRESS-SH|ELDE3.

.EEPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,625, dated May 12, 1885.

A pplicuiion filed February 7, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Isaac A. OANFIELD, of Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certain.

new and useful Improvements in Process of lvlanufacturing Dress-Shields, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 2,307, bearing date May 26, 1881;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvementin the process of manufacturing dress-shields,

the object of the same being to provide an improved method of procedure for producing a seamless dress-shield which shall have and retain the form of the dress beneath the armpit, and which will absorb the perspiration,

but not transmit it to the dress and with these ends in view my invention consists in the several steps and manner of procedure hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

In explaining the process reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of my improved dressshield. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of one form of device for manufacturing the shield.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the dies, heated box, and heat-guard box. Fig. 4 is a view of the heat-guard box, a portion of the same being removed, showing a portion of the female die. Fig. 5 is a view of the former;

and Fig. 6 is a view of a piece of material used to form the shield, showing the position of the several layers.

A indicates a male die, having a concave face, a, corresponding to the curve a (shown in Fig. 1) along the fold of the shield. The die A is supported in a suitable guide-frame, B, in which it has a vertically-reciprocating motion, and is conveniently operated by a pedal, 1), connected therewith through the vibrating arm I), pivoted to the upright c of the main supporting-frame C.

D is the female die, having a convex face conforming to the face a on the male die. The

die D is located at the bottom of a narrow slot, E, formed in the curved face of a hemispherical block, F, and is supported on a heat (Yo model) Palr-ntcd in England May 26, 1981; No. 2,307.

box, G, which latter is provided with supply and exhaust pipes g g, for the use of steam. The die D and slotted block F are inclosed, excepting where the male die enters at the top, by a heat-guard box, H.

The stock for making the dress-shields coir sists of a central layer of thin rubber, GODtfliIling enough sulphur to permit subsequent vulcanization, faced upon both sides with a teXi- 6o ile or other suitable fabric. For the outside layers the article hnown to the trade as stockinet is preferably used; but it is obvious that a knitted fabricfija felted fabric, or possibly a paper fabric would answer, and there may be other fabrics suit-ed to the purpose. The outer layers of cloth or the like are caused to adhere to the central layer of rubber by heat and pressure. The stock, when the component layers are thus arranged, consists of a waterproof material suitably faced upon both sides with a textile or other fabric, as shown in Fig. 6. Such facings act as an absorl'ient of the perspiration, instead of shedding it. The stock thus constituted is cut by hand or otherwise, preferably by a suitable press, into pieces of a size suitable to the production of a dress-shield. These pieces are then laid upon and across the slot E above the female die D, and the male die A, worked by any suitable power and device, (the one shown and described being a convenient fornn) moves downwardly into the female die, doubling the stocl; before it, and finally forming it between the concave and convex faces of the dies. \Vhen the male die reaches the lower limit of its play, it is allowed to remain there two or three minutes, in order to give set to the stock. The set is due to a partial vulcanization of the rubber while held in contact with the heated die D. The male die is then moved up and out of the female die, and the operator removes the stock, now doubled upon itself and curved at the doubling-point. The pieces are then taken and placed on the formers, and

are then laid in an oven and subjected to a dry vulcanization heat, 260, which gives the curve of the blank a permanent set. The blank is then taken from this former and placed upon another former, and'is then cut and trimmed to the required shape, after which the edge may be bound or scalloped.

I make no claim in the present application to the device for manufacturing the shields, neither do I claim the shield herein described, the same forming the subjeet-matter of separate applications, numbered, respectively, 67,085 and 155,206.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The process of making dress-shields, consisting, essentially, in first facing one or both sides of a thin layer of rubber with a suitable textile fabric; second, shaping the stock thus 1 formed between dies, one or both of which are heated, and,finally, submitting the shaped article to vulcanization.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subserib- 20 Mg witnesses.

ISAAC A. GANFIELD.

\Vitnesses:

L. M. BLADE, RATOLIFFE HICKS. 

